personal growth
Starting: The Great Separator
Do you want to be a success? As you know, many obstacles can keep even a highly-motivated person from succeeding. But today I want to talk about the ONLY obstacle that will ALWAYS keep us from success: Not starting. Starting is the Great Separator. It separates… The doers from the do-nots, The haves from the…
Read MoreDon't manage your time; manage your life!
Here’s an important announcement: There is no such thing as time management. Think about it; the term is an oxymoron. Time cannot be managed. It cannot be controlled in any way. Everyone gets the same number of hours and minutes every day. Nobody—no matter how shrewd—can save minutes from one day to spend on another.…
Read MoreQuotes to make you think
I’ve mentioned before that I love to collect quotes; in fact, I’ve been doing it since I was a young man. Today I went to my files and pulled out a sampling of my favorite quotes on Thinking, which I’m sharing with you here. Feel free to collect and file them yourself. Or pin one…
Read MoreFailure is an inside job
Photo from Flickr, Chris Daniel’s Photostream His name is Roger Crawford, and he makes his living as a consultant and public speaker. He’s written a few books, and travels all across the country working with Fortune 500 companies, national and state associations, and school districts. Those aren’t bad credentials. But if that doesn’t impress you,…
Read MoreWhat I've Been Reading, Fall 2010 Edition
Well, it’s autumn here in the United States. And as usual, it arrives after a busy summer — spent speaking, traveling, and writing my book for 2011. But no matter how busy I am, I’m always reading. I thought it might be nice to share what I’ve read in the past few months. As usual,…
Read MoreChange your thinking, change your life?
Can changing your thinking really change your life? Consider this: I’ve studied successful people for forty years, and though the diversity you find among them is astounding, I believe they are all alike in one way: how they think! That is the one thing that separates the successful from the unsuccessful. The good news is that…
Read MoreYou can't find the right answer if you're asking the wrong question
Image courtesy of Photobucket “The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes a creative mind to spot wrong questions.” ~Sir Antony Jay When problem-solving, it’s so easy to fall into the rut of uncreative thinking. We can focus so much on answers and solutions that we lose sight of the question. And if…
Read MoreDon't shun the sting!
Today I’m probably known most for my public speaking. The irony is that when I first started speaking, I was anything but effective. In fact, I remember being really fearful, and it showed. In my first speaking opportunity as a senior in college, I was terrible. People described my speaking style as “stiff.” I could’ve…
Read MoreWhen You Get Kicked in the Rear, You Know You’re Out in Front
Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Criticism is something you can avoid easily—by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” Obviously, that isn’t an option for anyone who wants to be successful as a leader. Good leaders are active, and their actions often put them out front. That often draws criticism. When spectators watch a race, where…
Read MoreDon't quit during training
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” ~Muhammad Ali Many people make decisions when things aren’t going well. They look for relief in the despair of the valley instead of waiting for the clarity that comes from being on…
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